Hoping
by TLX
Summary: Gift for Ian for the TLX Valentine's exchange. The story of how Neville and Hannah got together. Written by Blue Artemis.


"Back again, Nev?" The beaming blonde bartender asked the morose man sitting at the bar.

"I know she's happy. I even know she's Luna, and her boundaries are non-existent. But I really did not need a twelve page letter detailing her honeymoon. I could publish the thing as wizarding porn!" Neville slumped back onto the barstool at the Leaky Cauldron, dropping his head onto his hands.

Hannah patted him on the shoulder and ordered some stew and hot apple cider for him.

Tom looked up at her when she walked back to pick up the order. "Ya know he's not just here to drown his sorrows, right?"

"C'mon, Uncle. If he were interested in me, he would stop bringing Luna up as a topic of conversation," she replied, exasperated.

"Well, it ain't like ya don't know he likes blondes." Tom laughingly ducked as Hannah took a half-hearted swing at him.

She shook her head at her uncle and walked out. She'd always admired Neville's quiet dignity, but you'd have to be blind to miss his affection for Luna Lovegood.

Hannah walked back out onto the floor, only to see Neville looking around as though searching for something. "What did you lose, Nev?"

"My dignity, I think. I wanted to find you, Hannah. I need to apologize. I shouldn't be blathering about Luna. She told me once that I was too rooted for her, she needed to be able to fly, and wouldn't feel free to do so with me," he said, something in his face fascinating Hannah no end.

"Her loss, then. I don't think you would be the horribly jealous or possessive type, so I don't know why she couldn't fly for a while then come back to you," she said.

She was utterly surprised when Neville stood up abruptly, leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

Hannah put her hand up to her cheek in response. Belatedly she called "You're welcome!" after Neville's retreating back.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of their final exchange that night, but she just filed it away in her mind under "good things."

* * *

School started the week after that odd exchange, so Hannah resigned herself to see far less of Neville.

Therefore she was completely taken by surprise two weeks later, when there he was at dinner time.

"What can I get for you, Nev?" she asked as she got herself under control and walked up to the bar where he was sitting.

"A shepherd's pie, a hot butterbeer toddy, and what do you have for pudding?" he replied.

"I made some bramble berry pie, and we have some fresh whipped cream for it, if you like. Or treacle tart, or chocolate biscuits," she recited.

"I'll have the pie," he said, grinning at her.

"What? Is my hair messed up or do I have something on my face?" Hannah started to pat down her apron, wondering what was out of place.

"Nah, you just looked really cute looking up into your head for the list of puddings." Neville shrugged and ducked his head down a bit.

"Oh!" Hannah blushed. "Well, thanks, I guess." She backed up a bit, uncertain. "I'll just go let the kitchen know what you want." She fled to the safety of the kitchen.

Tom looked up from his cooking when Hannah bustled in. "What're you doing back here, girl?"

"Neville wants shepherd's pie, a hot butterbeer toddy and pie," she stammered out, realizing she sounded like an idiot.

"So, get it for him, then, girly. What'cha waiting for?" Tom looked at his grand-niece with what she took to be an expectant look.

"I––I really don't know. He said I looked cute, Uncle! CUTE!" She paced around in a circle. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Stop walking around like a chicken with your head cut off, and go serve the man his food. He wouldn't be the first Hogwarts professor who leaves the school on the weekend, and he won't be the last. But don't take away his reason for coming in. I can't spare the business!" Tom sounded quite stern.

"Don't you mean I can't spare the business, Uncle? Or did you change your mind about the sale?" Hannah huffed at him. She really liked running the place.

Tom grinned at her. "Not at all, girly. I need to relax for a bit. But really, you can't hide back here from the customers because you like them. You can hex them for busy hands, sure. But don't hide from them!"

Hannah decided to take his advice, and getting Neville's meal and drink together, she decided to take him a bowl of soup as well.

"What's this?" Neville asked as he looked down at the food he'd been served.

"Some hot chicken and veg soup. You wanted a hot toddy, even if it was made from butterbeer, so I thought you might like some warming up," she said, anxious. She didn't want to scare him off.

Neville looked up, then seemed to find whatever he was looking for in Hannah's face. "Thank you. Isn't is about time for your break? Can you join me for dinner?"

Hannah nodded, then got a serving for herself and joined him. A crowd came in as they finished the main part of the meal, so she had to leave him to his pie. She was pleased when he made a point of catching her eye and waving before he left.

* * *

Hannah was bemused the next morning when she found a steaming cup of white chocolate mocha latte on the bar with a note.

_This is Fortescue's new venture, flavored coffee drinks. It seems Florette Fortescue spent quite a bit of time in Seattle when she was out of the country. You might want to try this one. It is sweet, like you._

_Neville_

At least once a week after that, she got a delivery of the newest flavor available of the coffee. She took to having it with a muffin or scone for breakfast.

After the third cup, a Pumpkin Spice Latte, ostensibly for Halloween, she sent him a note.

_Thanks for the coffee, Neville. I think I would much rather see you than the cups, but they make me smile, and I do enjoy them. _

_Hannah_

The first week of November, Neville accompanied the new cup of coffee.

"Here you go, Hannah," he said, holding the steaming cup out to her.

Hannah took the cup, placed it on the bar, and reached up on her toes to kiss Neville on the cheek. "Thanks, Nev. I will go get the fruit muffins and we can have those for breakfast. Unless you want something more?"

Neville smiled. "I would like a full English, please. But those muffins sound good."

Hannah went to place his order with the cook and came back out as soon as it was prepared. They were the only two in the place, so they sat and chatted about the clients of the pub and the students Neville was dealing with at Hogwarts while they ate.

Hannah was going to clear the dishes when Neville reached out and took her hand.

She looked at him questioningly.

"I'm don't have rounds tonight, would you like to go out for dinner, maybe? I chose today because I knew a weekend would not work, not with you taking over the Leaky," Neville spoke quickly then looked down at his feet.

Hannah smiled so wide she was afraid she looked like a maniac. "I would love to, Nev. What should I wear?"

"You always look nice." Neville stopped for a bit. "I was thinking of the new Italian place down near the end of the Alley. So whatever you would wear for that."

Hannah nodded.

"I'll be back at 6:30PM for you, all right?" Neville hadn't let go of her hand.

"That sounds wonderful, Neville."

Dinner that night was the beginning. It became commonplace to see Professor Longbottom hand in hand with the proprietress of the Leaky Cauldron.

The gifts continued as well. Sometimes they were cuttings from plants, sometimes an unusual candy or once, even a pretty rock.

Valentine morning, Hannah woke up, did her morning ablutions then walked down into the pub, only to see Neville standing there, looking nervous.

"Neville? Is everything well?" Hannah only had eyes for him.

She was taken aback when he got down on one knee. "I can't imagine my life without you in it, Hannah. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

The moment dragged, everyone in the pub holding their breath to see what Hannah would say.

After one long deep breath, Hannah cried, "Yes!" and threw herself at Neville, both of them ending up on the floor with her enthusiasm.

Once they had untangled themselves, she looked around at the crowd that was there, not too unusual for a Saturday morning. The crowd was on its feet, cheering.  
**  
**Then she noticed the flowers. It was saying something that she hadn't noticed the riot of color earlier. There was a noted absence of roses, because Hannah was allergic. But there were forget-me-nots, myrtle, red chrysanthemums, and tulips.

"I notice you don't have any yellow tulips, Nev," said Hannah, bemused.

"I was hoping, love. Not hopeless."


End file.
